. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/COL/110 
3 May 2006 
 (06-2131) 
Committee on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
 
 
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  COLOMBIA  
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:  Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario , ICA (Colombian Agricultural 
Institute)  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Bovine animals, sheep, goats, swine a nd other species susceptible to foot-and-
mouth disease (FMD) and other products that pose a risk of transmitting the virus.  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
 Venezuela  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Resolución N° 00984 
del 19 de abril de 2006 del Institu to Colombiano Agropecuario "Por la cual se suspende la 
importación a Colombia de animales, y sus productos susceptibles de transmitir o 
vehiculizar el virus de fiebre aftosa, procedentes de Venezuel a, por presencia de un foco de 
Fiebre aftosa en ese país"   (Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) Resolution No. 00984 
of 19 April 2006 suspending the importation into Colombia of animals and animal products 
from Venezuela capable of transmitting or carrying the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus, following an outbreak of the disease in  this country)  (3 pages, in Spanish).  
6. Description of content:  The notified Resolution provides fo r the following: the suspension 
of imports into Colombia from Venezuela of  animals susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease 
(FMD) and the risk products thereof capable  of transmitting or carrying the virus; the 
suspension of procedures and formalities before the ICA and cancellation of animal health 
import documents; the return shipment of FMD-susceptible animal species and risk 
products which are in transit; as well as the notif ication of the Resolution and its entry into 
force.  
7. Objective and rationale:  [    ] food safety,  [  X ] animal health,  [    ] plant protection,
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [    ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reasons for urgent action:  According to the 
official letter from Dr. Angel Farank Antonio Parra, Director of the Servicio  Autónomo de 
Sanidad Agropecuaria , SASA (Autonomous Agricultural Hea lth Service), State of Táchira, 
there has been an outbreak of serotype-A FMD in Venezuela on its border with Colombia 
(latitude 7° 34´ 00´´, longitude 71° 41´30´´).  G/SPS/N/COL/110 
Page 2  
 
  9. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [ X ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [   ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations: 
10. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  As of 21 April 2006, the 
date of publication in Official J ournal No. 46.246, for six months.  
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] National notification 
authority,  [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
National Enquiry Point  
Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo Dirección de Regulación Calle 28 N° 13A - 15, tercer piso 
Tel.: (571) 606-7676, Ext. 1690 
Fax: (571) 241-0480 
or Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario - ICA
 
Grupo de Análisis de Riesgos Agropecuarios y Asuntos Internacionales  
Calle 37 #  8-43, Oficina 409 Bogotá, D.C., Colombia 
Tel.: (571) 285-3485 
Fax: (571) 232-4695 Website: http://www.ica.gov.co
 
13. Texts available from:  [  X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry 
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
 
Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo 
Dirección de Regulación 
Calle 28 No.13A - 15, tercer piso  
Bogotá, D.C., Colombia 
Enquiry Point : 
Contact person :  Daniel Héctor Rico R.  
E-mail: danielrico@mincomercio.gov.co  
Tel.: (571) 606-7676, Ext. 1690 
Fax: (571) 241-0480 Website: http://www.mincomercio.gov.co